Why writing is a powerful tool for transformation
When I was younger, one of my favorite things in school was the feeling of getting a brand new notebook, cracking it open and making that very first mark on the clean, front page. There was a promise of productivity and accomplishment in the blank pages that lay ahead. In most classes, we’d write down the schedule for the day, special announcements, notes, and assignments to be done later. A strong sense of satisfaction always followed seeing us work through the day item by item and placing a little check mark after each.
When was the last time you picked up a pen and gave your writing hand a workout?
With all of our electric devices and correspondence these days, plus a desire to conserve paper and time, making an effort to write things down ( physically or electronically) can fall to the wayside.
But just as effective as years of schooling taught us, writing things down as adults can have big benefits when it comes to building wellness routines and habits whether it’s starting to workout more, getting better sleep, or adding more nutritious foods to your plate.
First, putting the pen to paper can help to make things clear. We have countless thoughts running through our brain each day - a mix of what we should, could, would do and more. Writing things down forces us to be more specific from amongst the sea of thoughts and feelings.
Writing down the habit you are working on also keeps it at the forefront of your mind. The physical act of writing helps to commit our idea to memory more strongly than if we just think about it or even type it out. We can better stay focused on what is important to us amidst the distractions of everyday life.
Another reason to write down the habits you are practicing is for highlighting and tracking progress. So often we have a vague sense of how our journey towards a goal is going. We have “off” days where we might feel like losers, or highs that make us think we don’t even need to work on this habit— we’ve already got it! But with the ups and downs of our moods and motivation, a written log helps us see what we are actually DOING.
Building confidence as a result of tracking your habits. That great feeling that comes when you cross off something from your to-do list or make a check after you completed a school assignment — it’s like a little high five saying, “Yes! I can do this!” We can build self -efficacy or the belief in our own abilities when we have a physical act like writing down or crossing something off, as well as the visual reminder of our small wins and successes!
With a new month just having begun, why not spring into action by leveraging the power of writing things down!?
You can also join us over on my private Facebook Group KMoves Studio to print out a weekly planner I created as a little gift 🎁 to you! It’s a simple way to begin the habit of writing even just a minute a day to feel more aligned with your goals all through the day, week, and month ahead!
Keep moving,
Katie
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